Encounters on a Ghost Tour

I have two brief encounters (not very sensational but absolutely true) to
relate -- both of which occurred on ghost tours in New South Wales,
Australia. The first was at Rydalmere, on a tour of grounds which at various
times in their history housed lunatics and orphans (and now, university
students). In brief, we were told of a young boy who had died while crossing
from the boys' yard and into the girls' yard. Boys and girls were not
allowed to mingle at that time. He fell into water (I think it was a
cesspit) and drowned. We were informed that his laugh is still heard. A few
minutes later as I was lagging behind the rest of the group and standing at
the top of a spiral stairwell, which opens onto the courtyard where the boy
had drowned, a young girl grabbed my arm in shock and asked, "Did you hear
that?!" I was surprised and stopped for a minute.

I distinctly heard the laugh of a very young boy -- it was very clear and
seemed slightly malevolent? Mischievous? It had a very strange quality to it
-- almost as if it was right next to me, but very distant at the same time.
I asked the guide if it was a set-up as the voice was so distinct, but she
denied any such thing. Some people on the tour were making unbelievable
claims like they were watching women going through a doorway, in full period
dress as we sat there, so I did not pursue the matter.

The next encounter happened on a ghost tour in the Blue Mountains. We were
visiting a park in which a child and mother had been killed by a falling
tree. A tour group member tried to take a photo in a specific spot near a
birdbath. Her flash would not work when pointed at the birdbath, but when
she moved it away, it was fine. This happened repeatedly. The really creepy
thing was that while looking through the viewfinder we could all see a
distinct fuzzy white shape about three feet high next to the birdbath which
was not there when we looked at the spot without benefit of the camera. I
looked to see if it could be moonlight, etc. But honestly, nothing could
explain it and it showed up repeatedly. It was not a shadow or reflection as
it was vertical -- not lying flat. The tour guide was a total believer and
did not question anything, and the other three people on the tour accepted
it calmly. It was just my husband and I who are still trying to figure it
out.